A Shoulder to Cry On
by KayXClankForever
Summary: After witnessing his best friend in a rather idiotic hoverboot accident, Clank is left contemplating if his life will ever go back to the peacefulness of fixing ships and playing hologames. Will a fateful meeting with a past adversary change his way of thinking?


**Hello fellow readers, and welcome to my brand new story. This fanfic was written for a friend of mine on DA (DiamondLombax). The fanfic will consist of possibly 3 chapters (I'm not positive quite yet) and will include the Clank/Klunk pairing. There will be no rated M content until near the last chapter, so no need to worry. Until then, the content will be rated T. **

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 1

_Why, why couldn't he have been more careful? He always listens to me, but why not this time?_

These were the main questions going through Clank's head as he sat alone in his and his best friend's apartment. The space around him was absolutely quiet rather than the usual noise which was produced from within it. It was sort of eerie in a way, mostly because of how it had became so.

Clank lay his head on the cold marble countertop. Its coolness calming the worry in his eyes.

He sighed as he remembered the events of this morning.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Flashback***<strong>_

"_Okay Qwark, I think that ramp is high enough now. Its time to test this thing"_

_A sandy furred lombax peered down from the platform he was on, a look of excitement in his green eyes. It had taken all morning but his homemade hoverboot course was finally finished. _

_Slightly worried neon eyes met with his. _

"_Ratchet are you sure about this, it doesn't exactly appear safe"_

_Ratchet waved off his companion's words. _

"_Safe" The lombax rolled his eyes. "If it was safe it wouldn't be fun" _

_Ratchet's ears twitched as he moved towards the edge of the platform. He bent his knees and smiled as he heard the familiar sound of his boots switching on. _

"_Ratchet, please" The small robot who had previously been sitting down was up on his feet, his expression a mixture of worry and concern. _

"_Sorry Clank, but I'm not about to walk away from something like this" Clank bunched his fists tightly at his sides, glaring a bit. _

"_You won't be able to walk at all if this ends badly!" _

_Ratchet couldn't help but smirk. It was really hard to take Clank seriously, especially when he was angry. Most was mainly due to his size. _

_It was like facing a distraught kitten who didn't get his way._

"_Yeah yeah, just stay clear of the finish line and nobody will get hurt"_

_The lombax then grinned and kicked off._

_**Flashback over*****_

* * *

><p>Clank blinked as he returned to the present. <em>If only he had listened to me he wouldn't be in the condition he is now. <em>His so called condition consisted of sitting in a hospital bed being treated for multiple broken bones and a partial concussion. This wasn't a situation where one could just slap on some nanotech and everything would be fine. Instead, one would have to go through a process of realigning bones and trying not to scream. Only then would nanotech have some use.

Clank, although rarely leaving his friend's side, was forced to wait outside the room as his friend was "fixed up". Even outside he could clearly hear his friend's screams of pain. For Clank, it was torture. One would think some sort of drug would be administered while undergoing that sort of thing. Unfortunately, due to Ratchet's genetic makeup, such injections didn't work. _How could a hospital not have one drug that would work? _Clank had asked himself.

His question of course had remained unanswered. And it was only when he heard the hospital room door open an hour later that he was allowed to see his friend. Ratchet, not surprisingly, was in little condition to talk (let alone move).

Clank decided it would be best to let him rest so he took the liberty of settling into one of the lounge chairs nearby. He was kicked out not even 10 minutes later by the nurse on staff. Who then sent him home since he didn't count as a family member.

Clank turned around on the stool he sat on, taking a glance at the mess of thrown holovids, ripped fabric and hologames that covered the living room floor. The remnants of his anger induced tantrum was terrifying. Clank was surprised he hadn't started chewing the couch. However, like all tantrums, it eventually died down and Clank was left feeling guilty and ashamed.

The robot hopped down from the stool and walked over to the mess.

Clank's feeling of guilt returned as he spotted a cracked picture frame among the wreckage. He retrieved it and set it down near the holovision. The picture was of him and Ratchet working on one of their old ships in their garage. Clank smiled a bit. It had been taken about a week prior to Tachyon's attack. Things had been pretty peaceful back then. Almost every day consisted of fixing ships and hanging around playing hologames.

Now, days consisted of Ratchet taking it upon himself to perform death defying stunts and Clank being there only to yell at him. Even when Ratchet wasn't trying to die Clank had to watch out for him, making sure he ate healthy and not just junk, or even eat at all.

Was he his best friend or his mother?

Clank sighed. _Maybe I shouldn't even try anymore._

The robot lifted his head up, glancing in the direction of outside balcony doors. If he stayed even one more second in this apartment there was no telling how long he could stay sane. With small quick strides, he closed the space between him and the glass doors to the outside. Warm fresh air greeted him and he took a slow breath in, and out.

That was more like it.

Now that Clank was outside, he took it upon himself to try to clear his head of todays events. Besides, Ratchet was due home later tonight and Clank didn't want the stress showing when they reunited. He couldn't keep secrets that easily anymore, especially from his best friend.

Without wasting another second, Clank began moving forward towards the nearby lift that served as a personal elevator to the apartment, his feet making tiny clacking noises as he walked over its metal exterior.

_Going down._

The elevator immediately glided downwards after the correct code was typed, Clank instinctively grabbing the railing to keep from shooting off the platform.

_Ratchet should really adjust the speed on this thing. Someone might end up losing their lunch, or something even worse..._

Once reaching the bottom, Clank loosened his grip on the railing and carefully stepped onto the secure ground below. Before he could change his mind he immediately began walking in the opposite direction of the building. The robot had a specific location in mind, one that held a very relaxing aura to it and a few good memories. Clank quickened his steps a bit, offering a few glances here and there at the bits of greenery that decorated the walkway. Meridian city wasn't such a bad transition from living in Metropolis. In a way, it was much more tamed.

A rather young markazian couple passed, not so much as giving him a glance as they strolled by hand in hand. He was short in stature so it wasn't surprising, although it could have been because of their extreme focus on one another. Nonetheless, Clank continued his solo trek forward and after a good couple of minutes, finally spotted his location. Meridian Central Park.

* * *

><p>The hem of the pearl white dress fluttered in the soft breeze as its wearer drew forward with rather careful steps. <em>Oh, why am I even doing this. <em>A small voice asked itself. _Marie is sure to find out that it was me who took it, it is my size after all. _The figure whimpered a bit, stopping just at the start of a group of benches. _Who knows, maybe she'll just let me off with a lecture about- _While thinking this, the unknown individual just happened to peer upwards, eyes catching sight of something absolutely bewildering. They took a step back, eyes wide "W-who who are…" And then they ran.

* * *

><p>A refreshing breeze and the sweet smell of nature, all wrapped up in the friendly warmth of the city. That's what Clank was hoping for, unfortunately he had gotten something different entirely.<p>

It was like looking in a mirror. One minute he was minding his own business, relaxing on a park bench then the next thing he knew he was staring at another version of himself. Literally. The other's wide eyed reaction of shock matched his as they eyed each other. Unlike himself, his duplicate wore a white dress, a large bow situated on its chest. It stood out in a good way, not like his which was faded from slight overwear. Not nearly as cute in the slightest.

As Clank scrutinized the other, his double began taking a step back, readying to make their much needed escape.

Noticing much too late, Clank caught on to the others intentions just as the figure began to sprint away. "Hey, where are you going!" The robot called, dashing after the stranger (well maybe not so strange).

"Leave me alone, y-you monster!" A voice very similar to his answered back.

_Monster? Shouldn't I be the one calling him that._

Finally after a good chunk of running, Clank caught up to the other robot, tackling him onto a stretch of grass near the bathrooms.

_Now I just have to get the truth out of him, that'll be fun._

He panted a bit, peering down at the one beneath him. He froze.

The robot had tears in his eyes, his body shaking slightly as he looked up at Clank. He seemed absolutely terrified by what was happening.

_Did, did I do that?_ Clank thought. A feeling of guilt suddenly rose within him and he glanced away. In all his years of existing, he'd never made anyone cry. _Maybe I really am a monster..._

"Please"

Hearing the voice, Clank focused back on the other.

"Please don't hurt me"

The other robot whimpered.

Clank closed his eyes, took a breath, and then opened them again.

_The last thing I want is to be a bully..._

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you"

The robot seemed surprised at Clank's words.

"Y-you're not?"

Clank sighed and slowly got off the other, sitting down on the soft grass next to them.

"No, I'm not"

There was movement next to him and he turned his head in time to see the other sit up.

The robot inspected himself, paying close attention to the white dress he was wearing. He frowned at the visible grass stains at the hem. _Marie's going to kill me._

"Hey, I know this is a bit sudden but-"

His duplicate turned his head to look at him as he spoke. "Yes?"

Clank put his hands in his lap.

"Who exactly are you?"

Silence plagued the area around them at the question. It had went on for so long that Clank thought he wouldn't answer. But then just as he was about to give up and ask something else-

"It's Klunk, my name is Klunk"

The robot slowly answered, giving Clank a small smile.

_Klunk._ Clank was sure he'd heard that name before, but where?

"How about yours?"

Klunk asked, somewhat curious.

"Oh, I'm Clank" Clank answered, smiling back. But the smile quickly disappeared. "Look, I'm sorry for scaring you. I just wasn't prepared for that kind of situation.."

Klunk blinked then moved instinctively closer to Clank, putting a reassuring a hand on his. Clank's eyes went wide at the action and he set his eyes on the other.

"Apology accepted" Klunk said, his face sporting that same smile as before.

_Thank goodness, I thought he would hate me forever._ Clank thought to himself as he smiled along with him. The atmosphere around them felt a lot warmer, friendlier. It seemed the robot had also completely forgotten about the events of this morning.

"So, I might as well come out and ask that question that we're probably both thinking about"

Clank tilted his head to the side. "What question?"

The other robot nudged him playfully. "Why we look the same, silly" Klunk responded, giggling.

Clank blushed, how could he forget something like that? Especially when he was sitting right next to the certain someone who looked exactly like him.

Klunk tapped a finger on his chin, thinking for a second. "Could it be that we're long lost twins?"

Clank immediately shook his head. _If I had a twin, I'm pretty sure either Sigmund or my father would have mentioned it. Plus, why would he create two successors for The Great Clock, it doesn't make any sense._

"What else could it be then?" Klunk asked, seemingly fresh out of any other solutions.

Clank stretched his limbs outward and stood up, smoothing down his dress.

"I'm not sure, but I think it would be a lot safer to talk if we weren't out in the open like this. There's no telling what the media will say if we end up being spotted together"

Klunk got up as well, unknowingly repeating Clank's exact actions as he did.

"You're right, but where exactly would it be safe for us to talk. I don't know of any such places"

_I don't even want to imagine what Marie would say if she seen another me walking around the shop._

Clank thought for a second and then-

"How about my apartment, I'm pretty sure nobody will be able to spot us there. I even a private elevator we can use to access it undetected. But of course there is the matter of actually getting there. I guess we just have to be extra careful"

Klunk seemed a bit on edge all of a sudden. He twiddled his fingers as he spoke.

"Yeah, extra careful"

Clank noticed the tenseness in the other robots voice and he carefully placed a hand on his shoulder. "Everything is going to be fine, just stick close to me. Okay?"

Klunk relaxed at the other's words and turned a bit to look at him, nodding.

And with that, Clank began making his way back down the path he had taken earlier, making sure to check behind him now and again to see if Klunk was still there.

_I just hope my years playing a secret agent on the holovision pays off._

**There's chapter 1. Please feel free to comment and/or suggest advice ;)**

**(Chapter 2 is in the works and will hopefully be out next week)**


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